TikTok: The Theoretical Threat That's Stirring Up U.S. Security Debates

The buzz around TikTok and its potential threat to U.S. national security has reached fever pitch, but when we sift through the noise, what’s the real story? U.S. intelligence agencies, the gatekeepers of America’s most sensitive information, have yet to produce concrete evidence that TikTok has ever been in cahoots with Beijing. Despite this, the specter of legislation looms, with President Joe Biden and many in Congress advocating for a forced sale of the app. The narrative is rife with speculation and innuendo, yet the facts remain elusive.

The leaders of the FBI, CIA, and the director of national intelligence have been notably cautious in their language, framing the threat TikTok poses as hypothetical. Their statements are peppered with ‘coulds’ and ‘potentials,’ suggesting a theoretical risk rather than a substantiated one. TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is under scrutiny because, as a Chinese entity, it could be pressured by Beijing to manipulate public opinion, harvest American data, or even conduct espionage. TikTok, for its part, denies any such activity, with CEO Shou Chew stating emphatically that there is ‘no CCP ownership’ of ByteDance.

CIA Director William Burns, in a 2022 CNN interview, expressed concern over what the Chinese government ‘could do’ with TikTok, a sentiment echoed by FBI Director Christopher Wray. Wray highlighted TikTok’s potential for content manipulation and data collection but stopped short of accusing the Chinese government of actual espionage. In congressional testimony, Wray acknowledged national security concerns but again emphasized the ‘possibility’ of misuse by the Chinese government, not the occurrence of it.

The FBI’s budget request for fiscal year 2025, spanning 94 pages, is silent on TikTok, and by extension, China. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States has been investigating ByteDance’s acquisition of TikTok since at least 2020, following an executive order by former President Donald Trump. However, when a forced sale did not materialize, Congress stepped in with new legislation.

“TikTok app” by Solen Feyissa is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, when probed about TikTok’s potential role in the 2024 presidential elections, could only concede that it ‘could not be discounted.’ This measured tone from intelligence officials starkly contrasts with the alarmism from Congress, where TikTok has been labeled ‘digital fentanyl’ and faced calls for a nationwide ban.

It’s not that China hasn’t tried to sway public opinion or meddle in elections, as indicated by the Intelligence Community’s annual threat assessment. However, there’s no evidence linking TikTok to these efforts. The issue, as security expert Bruce Schneier points out, is broader and pertains to ‘surveillance capitalism’ across all social media platforms.

As TikTok’s CEO gears up for a congressional hearing, the focus will likely remain on the app’s hypothetical risks. While TikTok doesn’t operate in China, its Chinese roots raise questions about potential coercion by Beijing. Yet, experts like James Lewis of the Center for Strategic and International Studies suggest that the real issue is a growing distrust of China, not specific actions by TikTok.

The NSA’s Rob Joyce has described the situation as a ‘loaded gun’—a warning rather than an accusation. The concern is that China could exploit TikTok’s data collection for espionage or influence operations, but these are concerns, not confirmed activities.

TikTok’s fate may hinge on its ability to convince U.S. officials and the public that it can operate independently of Chinese influence. With Project Texas and similar initiatives, TikTok is attempting to erect safeguards around U.S. user data. Whether these efforts will be enough to quell the fears of U.S. officials remains to be seen. As the debate rages on, the world watches, waiting to see if TikTok can dance its way out of the crosshairs of U.S. national security concerns.